Ball in general, life on the road… on this blog, either you do or you don't.

Rotation for the coming days

Reyes got fully warmed up, so he won’t start tomorrow. Instead, they’ll stay on rotation over the weekend, with Wells Saturday, Looper Sunday, Reyes slotting in on Monday and Wainwright on Tuesday. That’s all they announced, but obviously thay leaves Keisler for the Wednesday opener in SF.

26 Comments

That’s too bad. I wanted to watch Reyes tonight. One of the few days off I actually get to catch the game on my mlbtv. Oh well. Unrelated, but I was keeping up with the Cubs game. hahaha. Zambrano has a 5-0 lead in the 5th inning. He also hits a home run in the game. I told myself, “Eh, they’ll find a way to lose”, haha. And the next inning he gives up 4 runs, before the relief corps comes in and walks in the tying and winning runs, hahaha. Typical Cubs. Makes me smile.

I know Reyes has to take his regular spot in the rotation, but he’s still the big question mark in the lot. Will he be the Reyes of last summer or the World Series Reyes? Only more innings will tell and the way things are going, the answer is not even close yet.

Bummer…I live in SF and was looking forward to watching Wainright pitching; hey at least I was there last season when he hit that home run…the look on his face was priceless, and the odd thing was, is that I looked to my buddy and said: “He’s gonna hit a home run”, to which I’m having to hear stuff like “Maaaaan, the dude’s a pitcher! Right…and so were Gibson, Drysdale, and Cloniger (we’re in our 50’s). Fortunately I’ll get to see my boyhood team of dreams in Oakland come June. Imagine becoming a basball fan in June of 1964 at 8 years old; by time that season was over I was in love forever and will never switch allegience.

I heard Sheets is pitching Sunday. I’m happy to watch any of our starters. With Carp out, we are left with rookie Cardinal starters. I think we’re getting more than expected out of them, what fun to watch them come into their own. Any time the Cubs lose, it’s fun to watch, but I would like them to knock off the Reds a couple of games this weekend.

One more thing . . . I read what Suppan had to say about getting his ring and playing for Milwaukee. He still seems a little bitter that the Cards would not match the Brewers offer. If they had, wouldn’t that have made him higher paid than Pujols? Sorry, but no contest. I think the St Louis money went to the right players.

Supp sounded bitter,huh. Well I think he was being greedy. I said that before. You just won a World Series, it’s not like you’re broke, and you leave that team because they offered you 3 years instaed of 4. What a crock! I like Supp but I don’t respect that decision making process. I still say loyalties should outwiegh money,ESPECIALLY when a player has already made himself rich AND won the World Championship.

Speak for yourself Matt. I would turn down more money for a better situation. In fact I have done that, and I actually NEED the money. I turned down a higher paying job at ABC to work at an NBC affiliate that treats their employees better, but pays less. I would rather be happy at my job and barely make it, than be miserable at my job and have money in my pocket. Maybe it’s just me…I knew when I posted that comment people would disagree, but give me a real reason besides money. Money is NOT the most important thing in life.

Sup got 4 years in addition to more money which was more years than the Cards were willing to give him. And, for a pitcher, more years=job security.

I don’t know much about the politics of baseball, but it seems to me that a pitcher has to follow the years even more than the money. If Sup takes fewer years to stay with the Cardinals and his arm goes, he loses both job security *and* money.

OK. I see no one else has any sense of loyalty anymore, other than me. One reason why the game is becoming more about how rich a guy can be than how good he can be. And the Brewers gave ONE more year AND even if Jeff did blow out his arm after 3, he’d still be wealthy AND a champion. Same as it will be anyways, except without any loyalty. Hey, if you guys agree with that logic. Fine. But I don’t and never will. Would you be ok with it if M wanted to move to Canada or some way off place to cover another team for more money?

This is threatening to take an unpleasant tone, and I’d really rather avoid it.

But seriously, I can’t imagine anyone having any problems with Suppan. This was not simply a matter of a few dollars. It was a matter of MORE THAN TWICE the guaranteed money, in probably the last big chance to get a big contract he will ever have. And it was about more than that, as well.

Suppan didn’t owe the Cardinals ANYTHING, especially after they made no serious effort to sign him. They made a single offer. You can’t seriously expect a guy simply to say “OK, I’ll take your first offer, done deal.”

Suppan’s agent made efforts to contact the Cardinals. He never got a second offer. Suppan wanted to come back. He never got a second offer. That doesn’t mean the Cardinals made the wrong decision — frankly, I think the Brewers made an unwise move in giving him that contract. But still, the Cardinals aggressively pursued the guys they wanted. They didn’t pursue Suppan.

So in the end, he had three or so teams making aggressive attempts to make him part of their organizations. One of those teams was NOT the Cardinals.

And as for the first parallel that was brought up, about taking more money to be someplace miserable, Suppan assuredly did not do that. He joined a team that is clearly on the rise — and that more than a few people think has a brighter future than the team he left. He didn’t go to Tampa Bay, or someplace like that where there’s no hope. He went to a franchise that very well could win a LOT in the coming years.

The closest parallel I can think of, in recent years, with the Cardinals is Mike Matheny. Sometimes the team just doesn’t want a guy back, and that becomes very clear to the guy. In that case, who can blame him for picking up on the signals and going elsewhere — and getting a 133 percent raise in the process?

It is a question of team loyalty, I agree. But where does team loyalty end and personal interest begin? Are players supposed to stay with the same teams for their entire careers out of loyalty? That’s great for a player like Albert Pujols, whom the organization is willing to protect and advance, but what about a player like Renteria? Are players supposed to put their entire careers in the hands of the team they start out with, being traded or moved at the team’s whims? I think, at some point, players have to look out for their own best interests. I don’t think it’s fair to simplify this down to a question of loyalty vs. money. I don’t think it’s fair to players and I don’t think it’s fair to teams. I’m sure that not every player who leaves on team for another does so with joy in their hearts. I’m sure that for some of them, this is a tough and heartbreaking decision. At the end of the day, baseball players are people. People with feelings. And to call them disloyal is unfair.

When M. and I got engaged, I knew that at the end of each season there was a chance that he could be moved, or choose to move to, another city. When we got engaged (and then married) it became a question of what was best for both of us. I accept that he might have to/want to move because I love M. and because he loves his job. I am lucky to have a career where I could find a job in any city where M. might be transferred to. But I know that M. and I would make a decision together about where we would move or how he would advance in his career. I might not be crazy about moving to a “way off place,” but it would be a decision that we would make together.

Mrs. Dude, who realizes that I have participated in the hijacking of a thread. Sorry, Dude.

I received a job offer for three times the amount of what I make now and refused it–and I desperately need the money. Do I regret it? Not in the least. I’d rather be happy than rich (did I mention this job offer would require me NOT watching the Cardinals every day?). So money isn’t the most important thing to me, personally, but I’m in the vast minority.

That said, good for Suppan. If the paycheck is the driving force for why he does what he does, then he got exactly what he deserved: a big payday (plus, with a contender). He earned that check with the stellar years he had here.

I don’t blame anyone, truly. The Brewers overpaid dearly for a decent aging pitcher, and I’m very happy that my team doesn’t waste money so foolishly. Meanwhile, if I felt truly unwanted at my place of work, I’d have to move on elsewhere, too, regardless of the money issue.

And as for the question of M. moving to Canada, and no offense to M., but I could give a **** less. That’s his life, and it’s a bit narcissistic to think that he should put your needs above his family’s. It’s not like no one would report any Cardinal news if he left, someone new would be assigned to fill us in on the goings on in the clubhouse.

Again, no disrespect to Matt. I’ve been a professional writer for four years now (movies, gaming, sports), and I’d bend over backwards to do what he does for a living. But seriously, to see it as betrayal if a sports writer takes a better job almost makes me laugh. I was on the brink of chuckling after I did a double-take to see if you said what I thought you said.

So, how would I feel if Matt left? I’d *try* to get through it without therapy sessions. No promises, though. You might need to put me on suicide watch, because I might bottle up those feelings of loneliness. :P

I’m sorry M. You guys can really take something and run in your own direction with it. Imply things I didn’t say or imply.Whatever. I never said I had a problem with Suppan, personally. If he wants more money, that’s his decision. But don’t be bitter to a team that doesn’t want to overpay you. If money is your main concern, so be it. But don’t be bitter at a team that doesn’t want to drive up salaries any more than necessary…And I don’t think I ever took an angry tone or said anything mean. Read back and point it out for me, so I know what you took offense to. That way I can know what I’m apoligizing for.

Nothing to apologize for, and if I said you needed to, I was mistaken. That’s not my point. I was worried that the whole exchange was on the brink of becoming unpleasant, but it hasn’t, and for that I am appreciative to everyone.

I just hope people will see things from the player’s perspective, that’s all. Loyalty is a terrific attribute, but it’s also a two-way street, and it’s not the be-all and end-all.

Zoop — no insult taken; Shaun was speaking specifically to Mrs. Dude. I don’t think ANYone has the illusion that if I were to depart for another market, there would be great despair. Though it’s cold in Toronto, and I don’t like cold weather.

Finally, as for Supp, I don’t think he’s bitter, and to my eye he’s been very diplomatic in his public statements. I think he may have been surprised/stung/disappointed that there wasn’t a more aggressive attempt to keep him. But I don’t think he harbors any ill will.

Know what I miss more than anything about Supp? Don’t laugh at me….. the Suppan word of the day…. I really appreciated his effort to educated young and old alike. I was dissappointed that we weren’t included in the word of the day while the Brewers were in town…. unless I missed it. Oh, and by the way 50 years of Cardinals games with no rainouts until NLCS last year and now I am 0 for 2. Bummer.

Thank you M. You’re a good man…And thorough. I really wish Supp were still a Redbird. I liked him an awful lot. Probably my favorite Cardinal pitcher since Woody Williams. I always enjoyed hearing Supp’s “word of the day” and I loved when he did the voice of the animated baseball that teaches viewers how pitches look to a hitter. I guess part of me just wishes he would have taken less money to stay in STL. I would say Good Luck to him, but he is pitching in our division. So I’ll just say best of luck except when you can hurt the Cards standing. I still would like to apoligize for “hi-jacking”. That was not my intention at all.

OK. Someone has got to explain to me what just happened in the bottom of the 12th inning against the Giants and they put on the double steal, and Pujols STOPS on his way home, when he would’ve made it on a bobbled ball! Instead he stops!!?? What?! And then he gets thrown out at home. Sorry I need a place to vent. But someone please…what was that?

Can someone please let me know why MLB is already having votes for the All-Star game when we are only 2 weeks into the season? This is ridiculous!!!! How can you rate a player who has only batted 40 or 50 times. I am sick of the popularity vote that this has become.

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